Flowers Are Bait

Chirping, the pleasant sound of birds filed the room.

As Lee-yeon opened her eyes, her mind felt remarkably clear. She rubbed her tired eyes and tried to piece together the fragmented memories.

The memories of her illness from the night before were somewhat hazy. There were flashes of it: a damp cloth wiping her forehead and body, the warm embrace that had surrounded her throughout the night, the refreshing water that had regularly been given to her, the familiar texture and affectionate touch she felt each time, and the gentle kisses.

“What on earth happened last night?” She pondered.

Just then, the door opened, and Kwon Chae-woo, dressed comfortably in indoor clothing, walked in. He had a puzzled look on his face as he seemed lost in thought. When their eyes met, Lee-yeon immediately realized whose scent was embedded in her nightwear.

Her face flushed, and she couldn’t find any words. He approached the bed and sat down.

“Can you eat something?”

The man naturally extended his arm and touched her forehead. Lee-yeon found herself once again at a loss for words at each of his familiar actions. Was this still a dream? She blinked her eyes slowly. When she did, Kwon Chae-woo leaned closer.

“You don’t have a fever anymore.”

“Why… why are you here?”

“Don’t you remember?”

Lee-yeon had heard those words somewhere before. “Did you lock me up? Or did I lock you up?”

He smiled mysteriously, as always. “You’re just a patient, Lee-yeon. You passed out and woke up just now.”

Lee-yeon glanced away from the enigmatic man, choosing to fiddle with her ear instead.

Her last memory was trying to call Choo-ja on her phone. She must have babbled something. She didn’t remember the details, but she vaguely recalled muttering nonsense.

“Do you remember anything?”

Lee-yeon scratched her forehead and lowered her head. A low voice followed immediately.

“There’s nothing wrong with your body. You just pushed yourself too hard.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What do you mean?”

He hesitated for a moment, seeming out of place. Just earlier, he had confirmed Lee-yeon’s pregnancy through the resident doctor.

He wiped his face, which had not seen a night of sleep, and hid his trembling hands. His gaze, which stared at Lee-yeon, shook incessantly.

“You want homemade food?”

“Sure!”

Thrilled by the promise of a meal, Lee-yeon followed him to the kitchen. He skillfully prepared a spread, including grilled Hwang Tae, spicy pork stir-fry, soybean paste stew, scrambled eggs, seasoned seaweed with sesame oil, and cabbage rolls with tomato sauce.

“Can you taste it? You’re the one who should check the seasoning.” She demanded.

“Don’t you trust me?” Kwon Chae-woo was wearing a mask because the smell of the food was bothering him while he rolled the eggs. Perhaps all his previous sensitivities had been because of Lee-yeon’s pregnancy. It was a rare case, but not entirely unheard of.

“The last time I ate your cooking, the seasoning was off. It was so salty…”

Lee-yeon recalled the side dishes Kwon Chae-woo used to make. She had been unable to finish and had to throw away.

“But Lee-yeon, you didn’t have much of an appetite before.”

“Well, being here has been so stressful. Eating helps me cope. Yes…”

Kwon Chae-woo stared at Lee-yeon, who repeatedly lied. But it didn’t matter now. If he was a dog that was clueless, he was willing to follow his shepherd blindly. He preferred to die while sucking her lips, which only lied, until they were full.

Yoon Joo-ha’s death was the long-standing legacy and responsibility of the Kwon family, not the girl’s doing.

He would no longer point fingers at Lee-yeon’s kindness and ignorance.

What was important now was who and how Yoon oo-ha, who had come in search of her young son and ended up dead, was killed. Therefore, the lost puppy, who had lost its master, was now…

“Ugh…”

He bit down hard on his lips and fought the nausea.

“What’s wrong?” Lee-yeon asked him.

“Ugh…”

“What’s the matter? Is the food you made bad tastes again?”

Lee-yeon, rather than worrying about the man who was about to retch, glared at him sharply, questioning him. The abandoned puppy was now trying to get back under its owner’s care.

“Don’t throw up on the food! Move out of the way!”

Lee-yeon shoved Kwon Chae-woo aside without any sympathy, and he felt his uncertain future before his eyes.

—

Lee-yeon looked at the bountifully set table, swallowing her rising excitement. She had no idea how it would taste, but the comforting warmth filling the tableware was just as she remembered.

But was it right for the lord of the house to be doing this?

She cautiously took a spoonful of rice after tasting a bite, and then she quickly finished her meal. It wasn’t anything special, just an ordinary and yet extraordinary taste.

It was the rice she had every day in the Hwaido, the rice that washed away the sorrows of her days, a table full of happiness.

The fake husband of Lee-yeon had put his heart into making breakfast every day. Unbelievably, it was the taste she had longed for.

“Is Miss So Lee-yeon here?”

She was lost in her thoughts, savoring breakfast, when a neatly dressed old butler appeared.

“Who… are you?”

“Mr. Kwon would like to see you.”

“…!”

She froze at the sudden announcement.

Eventually, Lee-yeon, who had been lost in thought, found herself standing in front of Kwon Ki-seok’s study. She stood there, still, as her body tensed.

After a moment, she heard a brief and concise voice from inside, “Come in.”

***

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